Charles Ellicott Commentary 1 Samuel 6:20

"And the men of Beth-shemesh said, Who is able to stand before Jehovah, this holy God? and to whom shall he go up from us?" — 1 Samuel 6:20 (ASV)

Who is able to stand? —There is some superstition involved in this exclamation, “Where are we to send this fear-inspiring visitor?” The men of the priestly city of Beth-shemesh strangely connected their invisible King with that golden Ark, which, sacred though it was, was but a lifeless chest of wood and gold.

Yet through their superstition we can discern a deep consciousness of sin and shortcoming, which boded well for the future reformation of the religious life of the people—a grand work, which we will soon see Samuel the prophet laboring so faithfully and so successfully to bring about. These poor sinners, discerning the cause of the fatal stroke that had fallen upon their brethren, knew only too well that none of them were really any better than those who had fallen victims to their impiety, and were fully aware that sinners could not dwell in the presence of God. Carried away by this feeling of awe before the purity of the invisible King, they cried, “To whom is He to go up from us?”

These poor Hebrews felt the same fear as John experienced centuries later, when at the feet of the glorified Son of Man he fell as dead; but they, less blessed than John and the children of the kingdom, had no Redeemer there to raise them up with the loving whisper: Fear not; I (whom thou dreadest) am He that liveth and was dead .